You dare own all this?

Your lady will not warrant promise-breach.

I know, what I should fear, Mine, pamper'd Miss! you shall be; and I'll make

I have started many strange beasts in my time,
But none less like a man, than this before me

Nay now, I have marr'd the verse: well! this one That lifts his hand against a timid female.

Why press'd you forward? Why did you defend him? Yes, I do, Bethlen; for he just now brought
False witnesses to swear away your life:
Your life, and old Bathory's too.

[BETHLEN retires. BETHLEN (who had overheard the last few words, now

To roam there in my childhood oft alone,
And mutter to myself the name of father.
For still Bathory (why, till now I guess'd not)
Would never hear it from my lips, but sighing
Gazed upward. Yet of late an idle terror-

• GLYCINE.

Madam, that wood is haunted by the war-wolves,
Vampires, and monstrous

SAROLTA (with a smile).

Moon-calves, credulous girl
Haply some o'ergrown savage of the forest
Hath his lair there, and fear hath framed the rest.
[Then speaking again to Bethlen.

After that last great battle (O young man!
Thou wakest anew my life's sole anguish), that
Which fix'd Lord Emerick on his throne, Bathory
Led by a cry, far inward from the track,
In the hollow of an old oak, as in a nest,
Did find thee, Bethlen, then a helpless babe :

The robe, that wrapt thee, was a widow's mantle.

BETHLEN.

An infant's weakness doth relax my frame.
O say-I fear to ask-

That strain'd towards the babe. At length one arm To that appointed place, which I must seek :

Painfully from her own weight disengaging,

She pointed first to Heaven, then from her bosom

Drew forth a golden casket. Thus entreated

Thy foster father took thee in his arms,

Or else she were my mother!

SAROLTA.

Noble youth! From me fear nothing! Long time have I owed

And, kneeling, spake: If aught of this world's com- Offerings of expiation for misdeeds fort

Can reach thy heart, receive a poor man's troth,

That at my life's risk I will save thy child!

Long pass'd that weigh me down, though innocent!
Thy foster-father hid the secret from thee,
For he perceived thy thoughts as they expanded,

Her countenance work'd, as one that seem'd pre- Proud, restless, and ill-sorting with thy state!

paring

A loud voice, but it died upon her lips

In a faint whisper, "Fly! Save him! Hide-hide all!"

BETHLEN.

And did he leave her? What! Had I a mother?
And left her bleeding, dying? Bought I vile life
With the desertion of a dying mother?
Oh agony !

GLYCINE.

Alas! thou art bewilder'd,

And dost forget thou wert a helpless infant!

BETHLEN.

What else can I remember, but a mother
Mangled and left to perish?

SAROLTA.

Hush, Glycine!
It is the ground-swell of a teeming instinct:
Let it but lift itself to air and sunshine,
And it will find a mirror in the waters,
It now makes boil above it. Check him not!

BETHLEN.

O that I were diffused among the waters
That pierce into the secret depths of earth,
And find their way in darkness! Would that I
Could spread myself upon the homeless winds!

Vain was his care! Thou 'st made thyself suspected
E'en where Suspicion reigns, and asks no proof
But its own fears! Great Nature hath endow'd thee
With her best gifts! From me thou shalt receive
All honorable aidance! But haste hence!
Travel will ripen thee, and enterprise

Beseems thy years! Be thou henceforth my soldier!
And whatsoe'er betide thee, still believe
That in each noble deed, achieved or suffer'd,
Thou solvest best the riddle of thy birth!
And may the light that streams from thine own
honor

Guide thee to that thou seekest!

And then, perchance, I might have power to unbosom
These thanks that struggle here. Eyes fair as thine
Have gazed on me with tears of love and anguish,
Which these eyes saw not, or beheld unconscious;
And tones of anxious fondness, passionate prayers, A gallant chase, Sire.
Have been talk'd to me! But this tongue ne'er

Gnawn itself blunt. O, I could queen it well

O'er my own sorrows as my rightful subjects.

But wherefore, O revered Kiuprili! wherefore

And think thou see'st thy sainted lord commission'd
And on his way to aid us! Whence those late dreams,
Which after such long interval of hopeless
And silent resignation, all at once
Night after night commanded thy return
Hither? and still presented in clear vision
This wood as in a scene? this very cavern?
Thou darest not doubt that Heaven's especial hand
Work'd in those signs. The hour of thy deliverance
Is on the stroke :-for Misery cannot add
Grief to thy griefs, or Patience to thy sufferance!

ZAPOLYA.

Cannot! Oh, what if thou wert taken from me?
Nay, thou saidst well: for that and death were one.
Life's grief is at its height indeed; the hard
Necessity of this inhuman state

Has made our deeds inhuman as our vestments.
Housed in this wild wood, with wild usages,
Danger our guest, and famine at our portal-
Wolf-like to prowl in the shepherd's fold by night!
At once for food and safety to affrighten
The traveller from his road-

[GLYCINE is heard singing without.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Hark! heard you not

A distant chant!

SONG, BY GLYCINE.

A sunny shaft did I behold,

From sky to earth it slanted;
And poised therein a bird so bold-

Sweet bird, thou wert enchanted!

He sunk, he rose, he twinkled, he troll'd
Within that shaft of sunny mist;
His eyes of fire, his beak of gold,
All else of amethyst!

And thus he sang: "Adieu! adieu!
Love's dreams prove seldom true.
The blossoms, they make no delay:
The sparkling dew-drops will not stay.
Sweet month of May,

We must away;
Far, far away!

To-day! to-day!"

ZAPOLYA.

Sure 'tis some blest spirit! For since thou slewest the usurper's emissary That plunged upon us, a more than mortal fear Is as a wall, that wards off the beleaguerer And starves the poor besieged.

RAAB KIUPRILI.

[Song again.

Did my importunate prayers, my hopes and fancies, It is a maiden's voice! quick to the cave!

Force thee from thy secure though sad retreat?

ZAPOLYA.

Would that my tongue had then cloven to my mouth! Hark! her voice falters!

But Heaven is just! With tears I conquer'd thee,
And not a tear is left me to repent with!

lladst thou not done already-hadst thou not
Suffer'd-oh, more than e'er man feign'd of friend-
ship?

RAAB KIUPRILI.

Yet be thou comforted! What! hadst thou faith
When I turn'd back incredulous? "Twas thy light
That kindled mine. And shall it now go out,
And leave thy soul in darkness? Yet look up,

[Sings again.